BIBLIOMETRIC MAPPING OF RESEARCH ON GAZA (2020-2026): A THEMATIC SHIFT TOWARD HUMANITARIAN CRISES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.1145028Keywords:
Bibliometric Analysis, Gaza, Global Geopolitical Discourse, Humanitarian Crisis, VOS ViewerAbstract
The Gaza Strip remains a focal point of global geopolitical and humanitarian discourse, yet a systematic mapping of its academic landscape is needed to understand evolving research trajectories. This study provides a bibliometric analysis of Gaza-related research in the Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities from 2020 to early 2026. Findings reveal a sharp escalation in research output from mid-2023 onwards. Geographically, the United States (447 documents) and the United Kingdom (330 documents) lead in volume, while regional institutions, particularly the Islamic University of Gaza (n=65) and An-Najah National University (n=55), are the most productive affiliations. Peer-reviewed articles constitute the majority of the output (70.9%). VOSviewer identified three thematic clusters: geopolitical and conflict-oriented themes (e.g., “Israel” and “Hamas”), humanitarian and sociological themes (e.g., “violence” and “genocide”), and methodological frameworks. Temporal analysis indicates a shift from foundational methodological studies in early 2023 toward urgent humanitarian critique and political event analysis from 2024 to 2026. The study contributes by showing how academic discourse on Gaza has rapidly pivoted from structural social science frameworks to responsive, event-driven humanitarian analysis, highlighting the need for more transparent, interdisciplinary, and context-sensitive research methodologies.
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